Cordless Ratchet under sustained torque resistance

[Yankeefarmer]

After having great success using my M12 ratchet to drive the bevel adjustment on my Craftsman table saw, I machined an adapter to use a socket to run the knee on my vertical mill up and down. (These are both situations that can require many revolutions when changing setups, and my old man shoulders and arms complain.) Two different torque wrenches tell me that raising the mill requires about 12 lb-ft, yet the ratchet which should develop about 30 lb-ft just says no. I even tried using a large capacity battery to see if that allowed for a bit more oomph. It didn’t. My ratchet is capable of lowering the table, so it seems like I must be asking just a little too much of it. I’m contemplating buying one rated at a higher torque to see if it’ll work and promising myself to return it if it doesn’t, since my brushed ratchet works great as a ratchet.

I notice that the Torque Test channel on YouTube tests torque at stall vs. against a sustained resistance. This makes sense for the purpose for which ratchets are intended, but not what I would like to use it for.

Anybody else here using a similar tool for a similar purpose, or with knowledge/experience that might inform my quest?

 

[tyyost]

Could you use a drill with a socket adapter to do the same thing? Most of the better brushless drills develop some pretty significant torque in low gear and could at minimum provide a proof of concept before you buy a bigger ratchet.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

Could you use a drill with a socket adapter to do the same thing? Most of the better brushless drills develop some pretty significant torque in low gear and could at minimum provide a proof of concept before you buy a bigger ratchet.

I think the concept has been proven by my table saw application. I do have a high torque corded drill that I think will easily drive it, but the form factor combined with its weight and the need to be plugged in makes it undesirable for this application.

 

[RTM]

Previously here we talked of using a cordless tool to run an auto jack, and the consensus was the torque wrench was the wrong tool, a drill would work much better, for the jack’s health.

You might want to rethink @tyyost answer, even if you don’t like it don't think it meets your needs.

Will see if I can find the link.

Edit (no luck in a quick phone based search)

 

[loganb]

Just because it works to rotate the trunnion mechanism on the angle adjustment of a likely smaller, older tablesaw doesn't directly apply to the knee kn a mill. The weight difference between the two assemblies being moved is likely several orders of magnitudes which when it's under constant load will matter. If you don't want to or can't find an actual power feed for the knee, a right angle drill will give you more power and in a form factor closer to the cordless ratchet

 

[Numerator2142]

A right angle drill might have a better form factor.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

Apparently I need to be more careful with how I word things. It wasn’t that I didn’t like @tyyost ’s answer, I just didn’t understand what part of the concept remained to be proven. Since my response post, I re-tested the torque requirements more carefully, and it’s actually under 10 lb-ft. My bottom of the line M12 cordless drill was able to raise it, although it was working harder than I am willing to load it as regular duty.

I agree that a high torque right angle drill might be the best solution, or possibly a right angle impact, if the torque loading is low enough to keep the impact wrench out of chugga-chugga mode.

My mill is a Pearson — nobody makes anything for it, including crank handles. I’m thinking of buying a Bridgeport knee crank off eBay and modifying it to fit my mill.

 

[Tundra1]

Starting torque on the non fuel ratchet is pathetic. Dunno about the fuel version. Once it is spinning it can deliver okay performance. One thing I do is let the handle swing 1/4 turn in my hand to get the motor started spinning before it starts pushing on the load fastener and it seemed to help.